Djaq's story
by BloodredCrimsonhands
Summary: An old and dying Djaq tells her great granddaughter her story, starting from her childhood in the holy land working through to how she became an outlaw and fell in love the enemy. Eventual Djaq/Guy of Gisbourne.
1. Lady Saffiya speaks

**This is not a typical Djaq story as you will discover soon enough, I have no idea why I thought this would be a good idea but the plot bunny threatened to eat me if I did not write this story. **

**Please don't flame me about the bizarre pairing but as always I welcome constructive critisism**

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**1267 Nottingham. **

Lady Sophia of Norwich had always loved her great grandmother, a woman in her nineties she had outlived all three of her children and Sophia, the granddaughter of Alicia, her great grandmother's only daughter knew the elderly woman could not live forever.

When news reached Sophia's father that his grandmother was dying he and Sophia had headed straight for Nottingham. So here they stood at the bedside of the legendary Djaq, people still referred to her as Djaq the saracen woman who had joined Robin Hood's gang of outlaws and masqueraded as a boy.

Djaq, or Lady Saffiya as she was offically called was the last surviving member of Robin Hood's gang, in fact she was probably the only person in England who truly remembered what it was like under the regency of prince John. Saffiya had never spoken about her days as an outlaw, she had once told Sophia with her strong cheekbones and dark hair she resembled her when she had been younger but when Sophia had pressed for answers she said no more.

"Grandmother" Sophia began only to be shushed by the elderly woman.  
"Hush Sophia" Saffiya said calmly her voice was still strong, not the voice anyone would expect from a dying woman and still tinged with a saracen accent despite the fact she hadn't been to the land of her birth for almost seventy years.  
"I'm not afraid to die" Saffiya continued, "My husband, my children, all my friends are long dead.I will see them again."  
Sophia wiped the tears from her eyes "Is there anything I can do grandmother?" she asked.  
"Leave us Edward, please" she asked Sophia fathers who kissed his grandmothers cheek and left.

"I want to tell my story, what really hapened not what the storytellers say happened, write it for me Sophia, please" Sophia nodded trying to conceal her eagerness to hear what her grandmother had to say.  
"There's a pen and paper in that draw over there" Saffiya said nodding towards a chest next to the window. Sophia fetched them and sat down in a chair beside Saffiya's bed.

Saffiya began dictating to Sophia,"These are the last words of the Lady Saffiya of Gisbourne".

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**I must be mad, but Djaq and Gisbourne are my two favourite characters so I thought, why not?**


	2. Djaq's death

I have based the dates on the idea Djaq is nineteen when the show stars in 1193 so Djaq would have ben born in 1174. So in 1267 when she's telling this story she would be 93. And during this chapter which is set in 1186 she would be 12.

**The holy land, Saladin's camp. 1186**

Twelve year old Saffiya ran after her older brother Djaq.  
"I want to go with you" Saffiya argued.  
"No, Saffiya you can't come your a girl you can't fight." Djaq argued angrily.  
"I can do anything as well as a boy can why should I not fight just because i'm a girl?"  
"Saffiya, please promise me you'll do what father says."  
"But Djaq..."  
"Promise me" Djaq said grabbing Saffiya's shoulders.  
"I promise" Saffiya said reluctantly. She loved her brother she would do what he asked but that didn't mean she had to like it.

Saffiya felt her father's hand on her shoulders.  
"Saffiya, you don't really want to fight you have not seen war trust me, this is a phase you'll grow out of it when you realise the truth of war" Saffiya's father, Saladin's personal physician, said grabbing her arm.

Saffiya did not want to wear dresses and cover her face, she did not want to marry and have children, she wanted to fight in Saladin's army like her brother. She didn't want anyone to own her. If she ever gave herself to a man it would be because she wanted to not because it was convenient for the men around her.

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Saffiya pretended she had listened to her fathers words but she continued practising fighting in secret, she watched soldiers training and copied their moves later herself. Saffiya was practising swordplay with a broom in her room when she heard her mother's screams.

"No no no no" Saffiya ran from her room in her family's tent to the medical tent where the screaming was coming from. There was a bed surrounded by several soldiers, Saffiya's mother, father and Sakina, Saffiya's little sister. Pushing through the soldiers Saffiya could see the bloody mess on the bed. Then she realised horrified, the mess was Djaq.

Saffiya looked at he rfather who shook his head sadly. Djaq was dead.

Saffiya barely registered her mother's arms around her and Sakina all she could think was, Djaq's dead.

Djaq's dead

Djaq's dead

Djaq's dead

Barely listening to the soldiers chatter she heard the name Edward of Bonley. The man who had killed her brother.

Saffiya pushed her mother away and ran form the tent. She ran straight out of camp to her special hiding place, in a nearby cave, were she practised fighting in secret.

She would practice and practice fighting and one day she would avenge Djaq.


	3. Edward and Raquib

**I have no idea about islamic names, so I have been getting them of various internet sites, which means they may be wrong. And I wanted to thank my reviewers HisDyingpPassion and HighPriestessOfTheDreamWorld.**

I realise the second chapter was a bit rushed hopefully this one is better. I plan to do a few more chapters on Djaq's background in the holy land before really getting into the story.

**Saladin's camp, the holy land, 1190**

Four years had past since Djaq's death, Saffiya was now sixteen. She was very pretty with deep dark eyes and long wavy dark hair down to her waist. Despite this Saffiya remained a tomboy who still practiced fighting in secret and would rather wrestle with the boys than brush her hair.

Also as she had grown older Saffiya had found herself spending more and more time helping her father heal the sick. But Saffiya had not forgotten the name of Djaq's killer, the englishman Edward of Bonley, but as she had grown older Saffiya had realised the likelihood of ever meeting this englishman was very small. In the end she had resigned herself to the fact Djaq would never be avenged.

Saffiya had woken one day hearing screams and a boy shouting in english, few of the saracens spoke english, Aamir, Saffiya's father was one of them and had insisted his children learn. "Please, don't kill me I didn't know this was a saracen camp I was hurt and hungry. I didn't know." Saffiya dressed quickly and ran from her tent, in the middle of the camp about twenty of Saladin's personal guard, including the captain were surrounding a english soldier. The captain of the guard drew his sword and brought it swinging down.

"No" Saffiya scremed running towards the captain and grabbing his arm, "You can't kill him he's no danger to us".  
The captain of the guard grabbed Saffiya by the throat and for a moment she thought he was going to kill her, he studied her face for a moment and then released her, "You can tend to his wounds, then we'll decide what to do with him". Then to the guards her ordered, "return to your posts".

The englishman looked up at Saffiya confused, she helped him up and he leaned on her heavily, "I can help you but you have to do exactly as I say" she told him in thickly accented english.  
"You speak english" the englishman sighed relieved.  
"Very badly" Saffiya told him with a small smile.  
There was a thud on the ground as the englishman collapsed unconscious. Saffiya sighed irritated "Father" she called.

Over the next few days Saffiya and her father cleaned the englishman's wounds and continued to change the bandage but he didn't wake up. Saffiya was changing the dressings on the englishman's wounds of the boy she had rescued, he was about thirty and from his physical condition Saffiya assumed he was one of thes nobles who joined the crusades for the glory of it. Sakina, Saffiya's little sister who was now eleven years old, entered the medical tent.

"Saffiya, father wants to see you in the family tent" Sakina said.  
"Tell him I'm just going to finish bandaging up this boy" Safiya replied.  
"He wants to see you _now, _it's just a bandage i'll do it." Sakina reassured her sister.

Reluctantly Saffiya left the medical tent and went to the family tent, her father sat in a chair in the middle of the tent, Aamir was not a particularly old man but since the death of Afifah, Saffiya's mother two years ago, Aamir had never been the same happy man he had always been.

"Saffiya" Aamir acknowledged his daughter but sadly, for a moment Saffiya was frightened her father had discovered how she had been training like a soldier but she was even more horrified by his next words, "You made quite an impression on Raquib the other day, he has asked for my consent to marry you, which I have given".

Raquib was captain of Saladin's personal guard, he was quite rich, as his wife Saffiya would never want for anything ever, she understood why her father had agreed, but Raquib was a widower about her father's age, his oldest daughter Nashwa was Saffiyah's age.

"No, father please don't make me marry him" Saffiya begged.  
"Saffiyah you have o get married someday, Raquib's a good man he can take care of you"  
"I will not belong to any man. If marry a man it will because I love him ot because he can look after me". Saffiya screamed running from the tent. She ran straight back to the medical tent and wiped the tears from her eyes when she heard and english voice.

"Are you alright?" the englishman had woken up at last.  
"I'm fine" Saffiyah lied transparently.  
"I doubt that" he said before changing his tone "I wanted to say thank you, for saving me from thse men, what's your name?"  
"Saffiyah, you?"  
"Edward, well it's sir Edward technically, Sir Edward of Bonley"


	4. Djaq's revenge and reincarnation

**Saladin's camp, the holy land, 1190**

Saffiya didn't feel the hatred she expected to after hearing that the man whoose life she had savedwas her brother's killer. The thing was she hadn't thought of Edward of Bonley as a man, she had thought of him as a cruel monster but he was just a man like the thousands of others fighting this war, he killed her brother, but how many brothers had Djaq killed?, how many fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, how many? It was the first time the reality of war hit her and the first time she realised the english weren't as evil as Saladin made them out to be.

"Are you alright Saffiya?" Edward asked bringing her out of her trance like state.  
"I'm fine," Saffiya lied again before looking around for her sister,"Where's Sakina? She was dressing your wounds when I left."  
"The little girl?"  
Saffiya nodded.  
"I think I frightened her, she was watching me when I woke up, I said hello to her and she ran away.I didn't mean to scare her."  
"She'll be alright" Saffiya assured him. Then she heard footsteps.  
"Quiet" she whispered to Edward, "I'm not supposed to talk to you."  
"Why?" Edward said puzzled.  
"Your a man who's not related to me, It's not proper, shush or i'll be in trouble"  
Edward promptly fell silent.

"Saffiya" it was Raquib.  
Saffiya didn't answer.  
"Your allowed to talk to me Saffiya, your going to be my wife"  
"What do you want me to say?"  
"Well you could smile and tell me your happy."  
"And if i'm not? What if I don't want to belong to any man. I will only give myself to a man if I wish to." She shouted at him.

Raquib grabbed Saffiya's wrist and slapped his hard across the face.  
"Oh come on leave the girl alone" Edward told Raquib, but Raquib didn't understand, he didn't speak english.  
"What did he say?" he demanded.  
"He said to let me go."  
"Really, and what business is it of him?" Raquib said turning on Edward.

Saffiya knew what Raquib was going to do, she wasn't sure if she should stop him. Raquib was a killer and that was wrong, but the englishman had murdered her bother surely he deserved to die. And yet, Saffiya could save him if she wished.

In the end Saffiya did nothing, Saffiya would go on to lead a good life on the side of justice, refusing to save Sir Edward of Bonley's life for a second time would become the only thing she was truly ever ashamed of. Raquib killed Edward easily, the englishman had no weapon and was still badly injured, not that he'd have won even if he was fine and had a sword, the englishman was smaller and weaker than Raquib who had been training since he was three years old.

Edward of Bonley, her brother's killer was dead. She had thought she would be happy at the death of her brothers killer she wasn't, nor was she sad. Just ashamed.

"Now Saffiya you will obey me won't you?" Raquib asked he was sure she would say yes, but Saffiya didn't say yes. She spat in his face and Raquid slapped her across the face.  
"I will never obey you" Saffiya hissed angrily.

It was then Saffiya's father entered, he saw Bonley's body on the floor and asked Raquib "what's going on?"  
"The englishman tried to attack Saffiya, I saved her" Raquib lied.  
"He is a murderer and a foll and I will never marry him" Safiya told her ather, pushing past him and escaping from the tent before anyone could stop her, Saffiya ran back to her secret hiding place.

She had had enough, she refused to marry Raquib, Saffiya knew even if her father broke his promise to Raquib she would have to marry someday, she would do no such thing.

Tomorrow some of Saladin's soldiers would sweep the camp and neighbouring villages searching for reqruits. Among them would be a previously unknown boy called Djaq.


	5. Soldier and slave

**Saladin's camp, the holy land, 1192**

Now eighteen Saffiya or Djaq as she was now called, had not seen the faces of her father or little sister for almost two years. Despite her secret training Djaq had been suprised she was not as good a fighter as she had thought, she was adequate but no competition for the other recruits most of which were boys who had been training since they could walk, or farm children used to hard work. Djaq, a physician's daughter was no match for them.

Over the two years Djaq had been fighting she had improved to become one of the best, what she missed in size and strangth she made up for in speed, cunning and her knowledge of medicine which had saved the lives of several of her new friends. To start with Djaq had been an outsider, no one had know her and she had appeared small and weak, but she had soon earnt herself a place among the men.

Djaq was training with Bashaar and Dhakir in a temporary army camp when Saladin came out of his tent and called her to him "Djaq" he called sharply, Djaq turned around worried she'd been discovered, she had met Saladin several times as Saffiya when she had been assisting her father, his personal physician, the last time she had seen him was a few weeks before she ran away she hadn't changed much apart from the fact she'd cut her hair.

She approached Saladin who beckoned her into his tent. "Several of the captains have told me you are the fastest and most cunning of the soldiers"  
"Thank you sir" Djaq said flattered.  
"The english king Richard has grain stores hidden about twenty miles away in the desert, I need someone small cunning and fast to sneak in, set fire to the grain and get out. I doubt I need to tell you getting caught means certain death".  
Djaq nodded this wasn't something she particularly wanted to do but if she refused she would be killed now.

After an exhausting two days trek through the desert, Djaq found the grain store. Hiding behind a sand dune she counted six guards. She had a bow in her hands and waited until there were only two in sight at which point she shot the first one, then the arrow hit the second one before he realised what was happening.

Djaq had to move quickly, she look some black powder out her bag and running to the grain store she trailed it around the outside of the building finally stopping at the door way and getting a tinderbox from her bag. But the powder wouldn't light! Getting more and more anxious Djaq knew she had to get a move on before she was caught. The guards had discovered their fellows corpses and were searching the building but the powder wouldn't light. Djaq frantically struck the tinderbox.

"Well what have we got here?" A guard taunted in english.  
Another two guards grabbed Djaq's arm.  
"Sabotage, you know of course the punishment is execution?" another guard asked.  
Djaq decided her best chance was to pretend not to speak english, so she protested in her native tongue earning blank looks from the guards.

Djaq ended up tied up in the store house while the guards argued about who should take her to the main camp for execution, they wouldn't kill her themselves as apparently there was a reward avaliable for catching theives or arsonists.

Luckily for Djaq english slave traders happened to set up camp nearby and one of the guards patrolling the perimeter to check if Djaq had any accomplices decided to sell them Djaq for more money than the reward.

So Djaq's life was saved by slave traders and the greed of an english guard. Djaq found herself flung in a small cage with about ten other people, mainly captured soldiers.

Djaq was heading to england. SHe thought her life was over, she had been sold for a few gold coins. Little did she know her adventure was just begining.


	6. Outlaw

**I am skipping the episode where Djaq first appears as everyone knows what happened, if you don't, watch the episode "Turk flu" in series 1. Djaq has been in Notingham for about three months now but the sheriff and Gisbourne don't know she's a woman like they do in series one. Marian never died, Kate is the only character from series 3 i'm using at the minute but I may add Tuck later, not sure yet.**

**Nottingham 1193**

"Hood get him" the sheriff of Nottingham screamed at his guards as Robin was chased around the battlements of nottingham castle carrying the chest containing the latest taxes, while Djaq and the rest of the outlaws fought of he guards.

Just an ordinary day for Robin Hood and his gang of outlaws. Gold coins reigned down on the courtyard as Robin tipped the contents of the chest of the battlements. The people below scrambled for coins and it was time for the outlaws to run again.

It was a typical day, the outlaws arrived panting back at the camp relieved they had made it through another day,  
"Where's Kate?" that was Much.  
The outlaws all looked around frantically but Much was right, Kate was gone.

Robin Hood never left anyone behind so the outlaws snuck back to the castle under cover of darkness and made their way to the dungeons. Every member of th egang, except Djaq had been captured at some point but they were always rescued. The outlaws were family they would leave no one to the sheriff's mercy.

"Kate" Much called out desperatly, it was obvious to everyone except Kate that Much was in love with her.  
"Here, Much I'm here." Kate called out and the outlaws rushed towards where Kate's voice was coming from. Allan managed to pick the lock of the cell and Kate was free.

The outlaws moved quickly hoping to get out before the sheriff caught them. But they heard the dungeon door slam and they were surrounded by guards. A fight broke out and the outlaws fought hard and eventually managed to escape. Djaq ran with them until she felt a pain in her side, she looked down to see her shirt was fast soaking in blood. Everything went blurry and Djaq tried to cry out for help but couldn't manage it.

The last thing she remembered before blacking out was being caught by someone. Then a familar voice said "send for the physician the sheriff won't be able to interrogate him if he's dead."  
Another voice said "Very well Sir Guy" then everything went black.

**The worst chapter of the story so far, I may even rewrite it, but I promise the story will get better.  
Opinion time now should this all be from Djaq's point of view of should I put in a few chapters from Gisbourne's point of view?**


	7. Captive

**I'm sorry I haven't updated for some time I had writers block, I am not sure when I'll publish this as is acting up at the moment. Anyway on with the story.**

Mentions of sexual degredation. Mentions of rape but no actual rape.

_An extract from Gisbourne's journal._

_I remember when I first truly saw her. I'd seen her before dressed as a boy but not as the woman she was. She was naked under a thin blanket which clung to her curves. She looked at me with such defiance in her eyes and a mixture of fear and anger on her beautiful exotic features. She was so obviously a woman and so beautiful I was surprised I hadn't realised she was a woman before. Although I wouldn't realise it for several months I fell in love with the strong willed Saracen woman in that moment._

Djaq awoke with a pain in her side. It took a few moments for her to realise she wasn't in the forest. She was horrified when she realised she was in Nottingham castle, she was more worried that she was naked.

"Well I must say you gave the physician quite a shock, not that I think he minded." The sheriff's voice made Djaq jump and she pulled the blankets right up around her neck.  
The sheriff chuckled, "pretty boy, not a pretty boy at all are you?"  
Djaq spat in his face and he slapped her hard across her cheek.

"Gisbourne" the sheriff shouted and his man at arms entered the room extremely quickly Djaq assumed he must have been waiting outside.  
"Yes my lord."  
"See what information you can get out of this little viper."  
"She's a woman?" Gisbourne said surprised, glancing at her body under the thin sheet which clung to Djaq's curves too much for her liking.  
The sheriff clamped his hands mockingly, " Well done Gisbourne, I'm glad to see you have the ability to tell the difference between a man and a woman. Just get what you can out of her."  
"huh?" said Gisbourne who still had his eyes on Djaq's chest.  
"Information Gisbourne." The sheriff said impatiently leaving the room.

Djaq felt more uncomfortable when she was alone with Gisbourne she didn't like the way he looked at her body. In a few years time she would delight in the way he looked over her body with desire but at this moment in time Djaq shuddered. She was naked and if half the stories about Gisbourne were true he would try something.  
"Are you going to tell me where Hood is or am I going to have to lock you in the dungeons and torture you until you tell me?"  
"I will never tell you anything." Djaq hissed angrily.  
"Very well " Gisbourne walked over to the chest by the window and threw a nightshirt at her.  
"Put this on."  
"Not in front of you." Djaq yelled indignantly.  
"You can put that on or you can go to the dungeons naked."  
Djaq relented and pulled the nightshirt on. Very aware of Gisbourne's eyes on her body as she did so. How she hated this man did he not know how humiliating it was for a woman especially a Muslim woman to be treated this way? Then again maybe that was why he did it.  
Djaq had barely smoothed down the nightshirt when Gisbourne grabbed her hard by the shoulders and pulled her down some steps and threw her into a dungeon cell, it hurt and she knew she would get bruises on her arms and shoulders were Gisbourne had held her, however Djaq was so relieved he hadn't groped or even raped her she didn't care. The Gisbourne she'd heard about would have raped her. He was clearly cruel and brutal but he hadn't raped her when so many men would have.

Djaq shivered in the cold damp dungeon and drew her knees up to her chest. She hoped Robin and the gang would come and help her soon.


	8. Saved by the enemy

**I am starting a writing challenge: write a Djaq/Gisburne pairing oneshot. Message me if you decide to take up the chalenge. **

**From Gisbourne's journal**

_I could have raped her. I knew Muslim women were fiercely protective of their honour and believed sex out of marriage would send them to hell, even if they were raped. She would probably have told me everything if I had tried to rape her but I didn't. I couldn't bear to hurt her in such a way. Another woman yes but not her. In the future there would be many times when took her to my bed. But at this moment we were enemies.  
_

Djaq looked up as Gisbourne entered the cell. She fixed him with a cold glare and hissed  
"what do you want?"  
"I come with a message from the sheriff. Reveal the location of Robin Hood's stash or you will be executed."  
Djaq couldn't help laughing "Robin doesn't have a stash everything we stole we gave away."  
"Then you will die, _outlaw_" he said the last word as though he had a nasty taste in his mouth.  
"I'd rather die an outlaw than live as a murderer." Djaq said putting on a brave face.  
"So be it."

Djaq was left in the dakness to contemplate her fate. She believed Robin would sav her if he could but did he know she would be executed tomorrow morning? did he even know where she was?

Djaq had been risking death for three years since she had run away from home but it had always seemed so far away. Now she was staring it in the face. She was afraid. For the first time in three years Djaq kneeled west and prayed.

**_An extract from Robin Hood's memoirs._**

**_I remember the day Djaq was captured well although I wouldn't it's significance for months. We ran through the courtyard with the newly rescued Kate but out of the corner of my eye I saw Djaq, she was unconcious and in Gisbourne's arms. We had to leave her before we were surrpunded by guards._**

**_"We can't leave her," Will argued, poor Will he never stopped loving Djaq.  
"We have to we'll come back for her." I promised him.  
So we ran and left Djaq to Gisbourne and the sheriff, with a promise we would return._**

**_Will was agitated that night he wanted to be sure Djaq was safe, we all wanted to go and save Djaq but we had to wait we couldn't go back soon we had to wait until the next night that was the plan._**

**_However Marian came riding into camp that evening, "they're going to execute Djaq tomorrow morning, Robin," she told me.  
"We have get her tonight" Allan said.  
"Her?" Marian asked, "Djaq's a woman?"  
I was surprised,"You didn't know?"  
To my surprise Marian was furious, "are you insane, leaving Djaq with them, can you imagine what could happen if the sheriff finds out she's a woman?"  
Kate turned to Marian "But they don't know Djaq's a woman, you don't think..."  
"what are we missing here?" Much asked the two women.  
Kate rolled her eyes "why did you lot want to get me out of jail more than if I were a man?"  
"They wouldn't" Allan said as we finally realised what they meant.  
"I don't know" Marian said "but we have to rescue her before they kill her."  
We saddled the horses and rode ack to the castle. _**

Djaq looked up as the cell door swung open, it was Gisbourne. He threw down her normal clothes and even her weapons. He held my gaze for a few seconds and then left without saying anything.

**From Gisbourne's Journal**

_Djaq looked like a caged bird, her exotic colouring mixed with her broken desperation and pride intreigued me. I never felt sorry for any outlaw until then. But there was something about her determination not to submit which made me want to save her. So I made my first step towards rebellion. I decided to help her. _

Djaq immediatly took advantage of the situation she looked around to make sure no one was around, luckily there were no jailers around, probably thanks to Gisbourne. She quickly changed back into her clothes, put her sword belt around her waist. Djaq opened the door and ran.

And she ran straight into the gang.  
"What a you doing here?" she asked them.  
"Saving you?" Allan said.  
"I'm fine, thanks for trying though."  
"How did you escape?" John asked.  
"I picked the jailers pocket and took his keys." Djaq lied, it was the first time she'd lied to the gang but she didn't think it was a good idea to admit Gisbourne had helped her. She knew they would react badly, why had he heped her?

The gang ran up the stairs and...straight into the night guards. A fight began and Gisbourne turned up as well and immediatly locked swords with Robin. The usual no winners fight ensured between the two of them until finally Much and Will pulled Robin away, the gang ran as the drawbrige rose Djaq locked eyes with Gisbourne, she mouthed a quick "thank you" and dissapeared into the night.


	9. A second meeting

Djaq couldn't stop thinking about her strange rescue. Why had Guy of Gisbourne the sheriff's henchman let her go, when her execution could have trapped Robin? If Gisbourne had let her go was he really as bad as people said?

**From Gisbourne's journal**

_The sheriff was furious that I had let "that saracen girl" escape. If he had known I had deliberatly let her go I would have been executed myself, I knew this before I acted but I still did it. I let her go on a whim, she was pretty and I felt sorry for her, at least this was what I told myself but found myself thinking about the dark eyed fiery saracen more and more._

So Djaq was free and life continued as normal for the outlaws, as normal as life can be when you rob from the rich and give to the poor and there's a price on your head. Djaq never forgot what Gisbourne did for her. She still couldn't help wondering why?

Djaq walked through Locksley wearinng a hooded cloak. She had gone under pretence of making sure everyone was healthy as Djaq, unlike physicians would treat people for free. Djaq treated a child with a sprained ankle and checked in on a pregnant woman, but there was little work for her. What she really wanted to do was to see if you shold catch a glance of Gisbourne. See if she could find out why he rescued her. She didn't trust him, he was still a murderer who worked for the sheriff she couldn't explain why she wanted to see him so badly.

She pulled her hood up it was harder for her to blend in than the the other outlaws because her small size and colouring made her stand out more but she managed to slip into the manor unoticed. She was sure she could find something to steal even if Gisbourne wasn't there. After all he didn't have to see her.

Djaq crept around the manor it was a sunday so everyone would be in church but even so she had to be careful, her life was one were one moment of carelessness could cause her death.

When she was certain no one was there so she slipped into Gisbourne's bedchamber hoping there would be money or keys to somewhere with money hidden there. She searched the chests and under his pillows and mattress but found nothing.

In frustration Djaq kicked the wall and realised it was hollow. Djaq knelt down and knocked on the wall until a wooden panel fell off the wall. There was a large hole in the stone work behid the panel Djaq leaned in and reached for the back, the panel had been designed for a man much larger than her to climb in so Djaq could easily fit in. There was a wooden chest at the very back it was too heavy or her to lift or move so she settled for picking the lock and filling her medicine bag with gold.

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_The second time I met Saffiya, to me she has always been Saffiya to everyone else she will always be Djaq. Anyway the second time I met her was after churc, I always felt hypocritical going to church but wnet anyway. She was in my chambers she had climbed into the hole in the wall I stored gold and was filling a sack with it. I was furious, I had saved her form execution and she responded by robbing me._

I drew my sword. She must have heard me because she turned around, the fear was immediatly evident on her face. I dropped the sword.

Djaq had almost finished fillig the bag when she heard the sound of metal, a sword being drawn. She turned around in fear Gisbourne had his sword pointing at her, Djaq only had her dagger she hadn't expected a confronation.

Then Gisbourne dropped the sword.

"Get out" he ordered, he sounded angry not that Djaq was surprised.

"Why havn't you killed me?" Djaq asked surprised.

"That's none of your concern" he said arrogantly.

Djaq saw red "It is my concern when the seriff's men decide to interefere in my life" she shouted at him.

Gisbourne grabbed her by the throat and pushed her hard against the wall, "I could break you in two in a second do not anger me."

"Why are you doing this?" Djaq asked.

"I don't know" he said, Djaq was shocked by his honesty. For a moment she thought she saw the man behind the monster but the moment was brief.

He released her and Djaq's hand flew to her bruised neck.

"Get out of here now" he yelled at her. Djaq took the money and ran.

"Wait" Gisbourne called to her and she stupidly stopped. "Whats your name?" he asked.

"Djaq" she told him, he could ve found that out another way so it didn't matter if she told him.

"No your real name." He insisted.

She knew she shouldn't tell him but she did anyway "Saffiya" she told him.

Then she ran.


	10. Gold for camp

Djaq didn't stop running until she reached the outskirts of Sherwood forest where she collapsed against a tree panting.

Why was he doing this? Gisbourne had never paid attention to her before she was captured, he would have killed her without a second thought, why was he protecting her?

She remembere dhte breif moment she had thought she saw humanity in him. She wanted to find that again. No. She reminded herself two good deed dindn't wipe out thousand of evil ones whatever Gisbourne had planed it wasn't good...

"Djaq?" Will's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She knew Will was fond of her and she was afraid of hurting him, but she could not love him.

"What happened?" Will asked concerned.

"I went to the village and checked in on the sick, everyone else was at church so I thought it was an oppurtunity to get into Locksley manor and I found a secret room and stole some gold but Gisbourne caught me and I just got away." Djaq left out the fact Gisbourne had let her go.

"Wow" Allan said seemingly appearing from nowhere and feeling how heavy the bag of old was.

"From Gisbourne's private stash" Will said grinning.

"That's our Djaq" Allan laughed picking the bag up as the three headed back to the camp.

* * *

**From Marian's memoirs.**

_One of the most shocking things to come out of the days of Prince Johns tyranny was the marriage of Guy and Djaq. The second most hated man in Nottingham and the beloved tomboyish saracen outlaw and makesift physican. Guy was once in love with me, or at least he though he was._

_Until one day, I didn't realise it's significance but I remember being in the sheriff's castle with my father, and Guy walked straight past me without a second look.  
_

**_

* * *

_**

Djaq's loot was greatly celebrrated by the camp whp praised thier friend's cleverness greatly. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow hadning out all the gold, it would feed an entire village for a month, split up among all the villages it would only last a few days but it was better than noing. Djaq couldn't help feeling guilty about how she got it but why should she? She hadn't done anything the others wouldn't do, besides Gisbourne could afford it. So why did she feel sorry for him? It wasn't the loss of the money it was what she had momentarily glimpsed behind his cruel eyes, the loneliness and pain. She wanted to help him. She just didn't know how.

"Djaq are you alright?" she heard Marian's voice behind her. Djaq liked Marian she was a brave woman and good for Robin who clearly loved her.

Marian sat down beside Djaq, "I heard you were captured and that Gisbourne interrogated you...did he...I mean are you alright?"

"He didn't rape me if thats what you mean" Djaq said "he thought me weak and thought I would crack after a night in the dungeons but I got away before he could do anything?"

Marian looked relieved "I herd aout the gold too, Guy must be really annoyed he walked past me without saying anything and he never does that."

It was common knowledge Gisbourne loved Marian he must be furious, Djaq thought bitterly although she wasn't sure why she cared Gisbourne loved Marian. She felt sorry for Marian and Robin that was it, it had to be it.


	11. A saracen prince

**Authors note: the words in _bold italics _are in arabic. Which I can't speak. **

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_The sheriff summoned me to see him, a prince from turkey, a cousin of Saladin came to visit us. The sheriff planned to take over England, to do this he needed a ary, Saladin would support him because he wanted to destroy King Richard. The saracens would win the crusade. I wondered what Saffiya would have thought of that. How far did her loyalty to the outlaws go? Was she a muslim? Would she want King Richard to fail?_

_I didn't understand why I cared so much. She was a saracen, an infidel, all my crusader father had hated and she was an outlaw and I had sworn to kill them all._

_I had been to the holy land only once on a mission form the sheriff but I have a gift for languages and learnt to speak arabic easily, bringing the total of languages I can speak to eight. One of the reasons the sheriff keeps me aorund is my gift with languages it makes forming alliances so much easier._

_"Ahh glad you could join us Gisbourne." the sheriff says sarcastically, I really hate this man. But he is my only means of sucess._

_If John gets the crown, the sheriff gets a dukedom and I get the sheriff's job and land of my own._

_"Ahh Gisbourne nice of you to join us" Vasey said sarcastically walking up to Gisbourne then whispering in his ear, "help he doesn't understand a word of English and we have been shouting at each other for the last hour."_

I couldn't help but smirk at this.

**"Good evening great prince". **I said curteously in arabic.

**"Finally someone who makes sense around here." **He responded. He sounded very spoilt, like a saracen prince John. **"Can we get on with this so I can get out of this godforsaken country" **he snapped.

"What's he saying Gisbourne?" asked the sheriff.

"Just exchanging pleasantires." I told the sheriff.

A saracen prince John and Vasey, neither of whom understood each other this was going to be a long day.

* * *

Djaq couldn't help but smile at all the grateful faces as her friends handed out money while she tended to the sick. The money was nothing to Gisbourne but the these people it was the difference between life and death.

Why was she thinking of him again? She had never thought of anyone but the people she helped on other days like this. He didn't deserve her kindness...did he? He had saved her life and then let her get away with his gold after all.

Djaq shuddered as the sheriff's men came riding into Locksley. Gisbourne wasn't their head. The sherrif's men often interrupted the outlaws but Djaq really didn't want to see Gisbourne again. It would just lead to more awkward questions. Questions she wasn't sure she wanted answers to.

The sheriff's men chased them through the village but the outlaws escaped. They heard music in the forest and went towards it. Djaq froze, tents could be seen through the forest. Saracen war tents.

Djaq froze emerging from one of those tents was Saladin. Saladin who knew her father. Saladin who had sent her to destroy Richard's food supplies. If he knew Robin would never forgive her for that.


	12. Burn Nottingham

**Authors note: the words in _bold italics _are in arabic. Have been watching Djaq moments on youtube "Pepper ouch" has got ot be the best Djaq/Guy moment in the show.**

Robin turned to Djaq "Djaq are you alright?"

"Robin that's Saladin" she told him.

"Saladin? What's he doing here?"

"I don't know but it can't be good. I've met Saladin before, my father was his personal physician and I was in his army for two years. Saladin hates the english if he's here this is not good for England."

"The sheriff has something to do with this I'm sure of it." Robin said.

"I'll go" Djaq volunteered. "I'll be able to understand the language, I'll go to the castle now and try and find out what's going on. You guys better stay out of Saladin's way. I'll be back by tonight."

"Hang on" Will said "Djaq can't go on her own what if she runs into the sheriff's men."

"Good point, John, Allan you go with her." Robin said. Will looked dissapointed but Djaq was relieved Gisbourne might be there. Why this was a problem she wasn't sure but it felt like it would be.

Robin, Will, Kate and Much went back to camp. Djaq, Allan and John pulled up their cloaks and rode towards Nottingham castle.

Sneaking into the courtyard they saw an entourage of horses and saracen servants. This looked familar to Djaq who felt a sudden wave a homesickness. It made her realise she would probably never see the holy land again. She would almost definitly never see turkey again. She barel remembered turkey she was just three years old when her family had left Constantinople.

"Alright Djaq" Allan asked.

"I'm fine, It's just seeing all this again reminds me of home. Of my father and my sister. Father, Sakina she'll be fourteen now and I may never see them again." Djaq's eyes filled with tears which she quickly wiped away.

John squeezed the young woman's shoulder, John had never even known his son and hadn't seen his wife for years. He understood what Djaq was going through.

Djaq wiped her eyes again and slipped in with the saracen servants as John and Allan followed her their faces covered.

* * *

**From Gisbourne's journal.**_**"So it is agreed we burn Nottingham to the ground and force the other Sheriff's to surrender to Prince John fearful of the same consequences."** I almost choked, Nottingham would burn to the ground thousands of people would die. I was prepared to look the other way while people were unfairly taxed and occasionally killed but this was too far._

_"What's wrong with you Gisbourne?" the sheriff asked._

_"My lord he says he will burn Nottingham o the ground, it will kill everyone."_

_"Gisbourne, Gisbourne, Gisbourne" the sheriff said shaking his head and oatting my shoulder like I was a stupid child. "You hav to make some sacrifices to suceed."_

_But I wouldn't suceed, Vasey had promised me Nottingham but he planned to burn it. I have already said I can speak eight languages, I'm not stupid. The sheriff always underestimated me. In the end that worked to my advantage._

_I continued the negotiations and memorised everything. I had never thought it would come to tis but I was going to warn Hood._

_Again Saffiya flashed into my mind, I tried to dismiss the image but couldn't I didn't understand what was wrong with me._

A servant entered the room, one of the prince's servants, a saracen boy. Only it wasn't a saracen boy it was Saffiya. Her eyes met mine and I saw her tense in fear. Silently imploring me to keep quiet. I did so.

_The girl handed the prince a drink and then busied herself doing servant things fading into the background. Neither the sheriff or the prince noticed her but I did. Maybe I could warn her. She spoke arabic, the sheriff didn't. _

**_"It is agreed, you and Saladin can return to the holy land to fetch some soldiers and destroy Nottingham so Prince John can takeover England." _**

_Saffiya tensed and slipped out of the room, her eyes met mine as she closed the door and my heart skipped a beat. She whispered a silent thank you._

* * *

Djaq started running, Allan and John tried to catch up with her.

"Where's the fire?" Allan panted trying to keep up with her.

"We need to speak to the gang now" she gasped.


	13. Kidnapping Gisbourne

**Authors note: the words in _bold italics _are in arabic. I would like to thank Historianic my main reviewer.**

"So Prince John and Saladin have made an agreement. John gets England, Saladin gets the holy land. Saladin is heading towards Nottingham now to finalise negotiations and then he will return to the holy land to summon some soldiers. We have to stop them before they leve England." Djaq said.

"If we mess this up England is doomed" John said gloomily.

"Great just great" said Much.

"Ok," Djaq began, now was the time to tell them about Gisbourne, "your going to think I'm mad."

"Not the best way of winning us over" Robin said.

"I think Gisbourne can help us."

The reaction was instantaneous, Much choked on his food, John and Will fell off the log they sat on. Kate, Allan and Robin burs tout laughing.

"What makes you think that?" Robin asked,

"Djaq Gisbourne locked you in a dungeon" Kate said.

"He also let me out." She said quietly. "I didn't pick the jailers pocket Gisbourne set me free. Why I don't know. He always seemed cruel maybe he's not as bad as we thought."

"He set you free?" Robin asked.

"Yes and today I slipped into the council room disguised as the prince's servant he looked right at me, I thought he was going to say something but he remained silent and then he spoke in arabic so I would know what was going on. Why?"

"I know" Allan said "Either Gisbourne is coming round or he fancies Djaq."

It was Djaq's turn to choke on her food. "Poor Djaq don't even joke about that" Kate said.

Djaq couldn't help thinking it wouldn't be that bad if Gisbourne did fancy her. What? Was she going mad?

"Seriously now" Djaq said.

"I don't trust Gisbourne" Robin said. Djaq's breath hitched in her throat he was going to say no.

"But I trust Djaq" he said "and I trust her judgement, tponight I will go to Locksley and speak to Gisbourne, Djaq your coming with me any volunteers?"

Will volunteered immediatly.

"Very well, come armed just incase" Robin said. "Djaq you better be right about this."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_I hoped Saffiya had got back to Hood, I hoped they had a plan what I didn't expect was to enter my chamers and find Saffiya sitting on my bed...not that I minded she was and still is very pretty. Even though over twenty years have passed since the events I describe in this journal. _

_"Saffiya?" I asked. "That's your name is it not?" I knew it was but tried not to sound too familar she might get scared and leave._

_"Hello Gisbourne." I couldn't help feeling dissapointed as I found she wasn't alone. Hood and Scarlett emerged from behind the door._

_"Locksley what do you want?"_

_"Djaq seems to think you'll help us get rid of Saladin and the prince. Why would you?"_

_I saw where this was going. Would I join them? One look a Saffiya's imploring soulful dark es gave me my answer._

_"I will help. I wanted the sheriff's job which he promised ot me but the way I would get it would involve the deaths of thousands of people. Even men like me can only go so far before we say enough, no more suffering."_

_Robin looked surprised, "I can't say I'm not surprised Gisbourne tell me everything you know."_

_"I think Saffiya...Djaq whatever she's called got most of the information." I said glancing at Saffiya hoping neither Robin nor Will noticed._

_"Right, Djaq, Will we're going to kidnap Gisbourne for a few hours."_

_"When did I agree to this?" I ask._

_"Just for a few hours we'll bring you back later." Robin promised._

_So I found myself being blindfolded and dragged through the forest by three outlaws._

_After an hour of so, well it seemed that long to me of being pushed around in the dark. _

_I heard a barrage of voices yelling things like "Oi Robin what's Gisbourne doing here?" and felt surprisingly soft hands for an outlaw reach up and remove the blindfold from my head. And then I found myself face to face with the face of Saffiya full of openess and understanding. More than anyone I had ever met. I didn't deserve her kindness or understanding._

"Right we have to save England." Robin said and I found myself surrounded by hostile looking outlaws as we gathered around the campfire. I was grateful when Saffiya sat next to me on one side. Showing her trust. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.


	14. The plan

**This chapter is a filler but there plenty of action in the next one I promise.**

"We have to speak to Saladin and get him to break the deal with the sheriff." Gisbourne said.

"He won't Saladin's word is his bond. He believes in honour and he would rather die than break his word." Djaq interrupted.

"We have to make him believe the sheriff has broken the deal." Robin said.

"He is very anti christian but he may listen to me." Djaq said. "And possibly Gisbourne because he can speak arabic."

"How can you speak arabic anyway?" Allan asked.

"Because I tried to kill the king in the holy land and I thought I might as well learn the language. It made things easier."

"You still failed didn't you?" Robin said coldly.

Guy remained silent.

"Yes how can we trust him, he killed my brother" Kate yelled.

Guy and the outlaws exchanged insults for a few minutes until Djaq interfered.

"Please everyone, we have a saying in my country, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If we fight among ourselves what have we got left?"

"Djaq's right" Will interrupted.

"We need to find a plan, to save the country." Robin agreed.

So for the first time of many Gisbourne and the outlaws sat down and came up with a plan to save the country.

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_Finally after a great deal of arguments it was agreed._

_I would go to Nottingham castle tomorrow as I promised the sheriff. Meanwhile Djaq and Allan would steal some woman's clothes for Djaq who would fit in with Saladin's servants._

_I would use the sheriff's ignorance to my advantage and tell him Saladin wanted to speak to me alone while telling Saladin that the sheriff had to be excused. Then I would signal Saffiya and we would try to persuade Saladin to break the agreement. If we failed, we had Hood and the rest of the outlaws and we would kill him._

_Saffiya was saking this would be seen as an act of betrayal among her people._

_I would have tried to comfort her but that would have looked strange. Will Scarlett put his arm around her and whispered comforting words in her ear. I wanted to rip him apart._

**From Marian's journal_._**

_I remember the night I rode into the outlaw's camp and saw Guy there. I almost fell off my horse._

_"Guy?" I said shocked._

_"Lady Marin I knew it" he said but he didn't sound angry._

_"Marian, you won't believe this but Guy's going to help us." Robin said explaining to me what had taken place earlier that evening._

_I agreed to swap clothes with Djaq so she looked like a proper woman._

_Djaq was smaller than me but we both managed to fit into each others clothes. Djaq covered her head with a scarf and there was no way anone would reognise Djaq as the "boy" from Robin Hood's gang._

_I had to be careful sneaking back into Knighton manor so my father didn't see my ragged boy's clothes._

* * *

Djaq awoke early the next morning. Gisbourne was gone and today was the day they stopped Saladin and the sheriff.

After almost three years of dressing as a boy wearing a dress took some getting used to but Djaq picked it up again quickly, the only problem was riding a horse but Will offered to take her on his horse with his arm around her waist like she was an English noblewoman.

Djaq really had to make it clear to Will soon that she didn't love him like he loved her. She had to stop responding to his advances but now wasn't the time to worry aout that so she let him.

They rode to Notingham. If Djaq and Gisbourne failed Nottingham...no the whole of England was doomed.


	15. Meeting Saladin

**Authors note: Words in bold italics are in arabic.**

Djaq dismounted from the horse with the help of Will. In the castle courtyard the goup of outlaws all headed in different directions to hide where they had agreed. Djaq found a large group Saracen maids and slipped in with them easily. Now she had to find a way into the council room.

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_I stood in the council room with the sheriff, the saracen prince whose name no one had bothered to tell me and Saladin himself._

_Finalising negotiations had been easier before Saladin got there, he clearly didn't like the English and I thought the prince wa stuck up._

_I stalled for as long as possible but finally Saffiya entered the room., she refilled all our drinks cups. Shuddering visably as Vasey looked down her dress. I wondered if puching the sheriff would be considered appropriate._

_**"Woman" **Saladin said as Saffiya turned to leave, well she was really going to hide but they didn't know that._

_**"My lord" **she esponded clearly very frightened, why she was so frightened I didn't know, she had stared down other powerful made him so different._

_**"Come here, let me look at you**" Saffiya stood in front of him as he looked her up and down._

_**"You remind me of a soldier I once met, I sent him to burn down the English king Richard's granary, he never returned." **Saladin spoke._

_**"I had a brother lord Saladin he was in your army and he died. Maybe it is him I remind you of"** She spoke bravely, I couldn't help admire her. I could tell it was her who Saladin spoke of. I doubted Robin Hood knew._

_**"With all due respect great prince, Lord Saladin. I have something very important you need ot hear before signing this agreement, I need to talk to you without sheriff Vasey." **I finally said hoping to help Saffiya._

_**"Very well Gisbourne get rid of the sheriff." **Saladin said at the same time the sheriff got tired of all the arabic._

_"Gisbourne what's going on?" Vasey asked._

_"Nothing much my lord, lord Saladin was flirting with the servnt girl and he wants to speak to me alone, he says he never signs anything without talking to everyone first, he wants to talk to you later."_

_"But I can't understand a word he's saying." The sheriff argued._

_"Which is why he wants to speak to me first, he'll compromise and use an interpreter of his own to speak to you but he needs to find him first as he's gone missing." I lied._-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Very well Gisbourne" the sheriff sighed getting up "I have more important things to worry about than whether a bunch of infidel's consider me important of not."

I couldn't believe how easy it was to get rid of Vasey.

Vasey left and immediatly Djaq spoke.

**_"Lord Saladin, Prince Mohammed, my name is Djaq, I am a member of Robin Hoods gang of outlaws. I have come to warn you about the sheriff, you are to make a grave mistake my lords."_ **Prince Mohammed said**_"What sort of name is that for a woman? And are you really stupid enough to talk like this in front of an infidel."_**Djaq's eyes met Guy's and her heart leapt **_"I trust him with my life"._**

"Your name is Djaq?"

"My name is Saffiya, Saffiya al faraq, you know my father lord Saladin, Aamir al faraq, your personal physician. I masqueraded as a boy using my dead brothers name to avoid an arranged marriage to lord Raquib and joined your army, I was the boy you sent to destroy the granary but I was caught and ended up in England, I was freed by Hood's gang and with nothing left for me in the holy land I stayed here. As for Sir Guy..."

**_"That's quite a story girl" _**Saladin said, **_"Aamir has been dead for almost a year now, he was killed in helping the wounded in battle. I'm sorry."_**

Djaq had always prided herself in being strong but she couldn't help but fall back at those words, she almost collapsed but Guy quickly grabbed her before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" He said in English.

"No, I can't believe my last words to my father were so angry, he died not knowing how much I loved him, not even knowing if I was alive. But he was a physician, he died doing what he loved and would not have wanted to die any other way."

Djaq couldn't believe she was telling Guy so much, she wasn't even sure how she had started thinking of him as Guy she had thought he would help but even so she couldn't believe how much she was trusting him.

**_"Arabic, speak language we can all understand" _**Prince Mohammed interrupted rudely.

**_"Apologies great prince" _**Djaq said wiping tears from her eys hurridly.

**_"Now Saffiya, Gisbourne, tell us about this sheriff of Nottingham."_**


	16. Strange feelings

**Authors note: Words in bold italics are in arabic.**

Djaq and Guy had decided it would be easier to tell the truth **_"You cannot trust prince John of Sheriff Vasey my lords." _**Djaq began.

**_"They work only for themselves, they would not help you in the holy land, they would wait for you o uphold your end of the bargin and then withdraw without upholfding their end."_ **Guy said.

**_"On what evidence do you base this Gisbourne?"_ **Saladin demanded.

**_"I have woked for sheriff Vasey for almost three years" _**Guy said, **_"He is a cruel sadistic man who takes pleasure in other people torments he cares only for himself, prince John is the same only more spoilt as he is richer and more used to getting what he wants, you may despise King Richard but you would be better fighting him fairly than entering into agreements with the sheriff and the prince who will bleed you dry, take England and leave you weaker when you fight Richard." _**Djaq was impressed by Guy's speech. So by the looks of it were Prince Mohmammed and Saladin.

**_"You are no fool are you Gisbourne? _**Saladin asked.

**_"Thanks... I think" _**Guy replied.

**_"If I choose to listen to you how do we leave without Vasey getting suspicious?" _**

**_"Leave that to me it would take months for your armies to arrive here I can think up a lie in a few weeks time, I'll tell the sheriff disease swept through your army of something so you can't do anything to help him." _**Gisbourne told Saladin.

**_"Very well, I will leave, because your father was an old friend of mine Saffiya. For old times sake I will trust you. I do not need the sheriff and prince John I will beat RIchard honestly. Ours is the true religion Saffiya, we will suceed." _**

**_"I have to go my lords, before my friends start worrying, Allah be with you." _**Djaq went to the window and signaled to the oulaws hidden around the courtyard that everything was fine.

Then she fled before the sheriff of the guards found her, it was in Guy's hands now.

* * *

_**From Gisbourne's journal.**_

_I managed to persuade the sheriff I had suceeded in persuaded Saladin he didn't need to speak to anyone else and would return in three months. All I had to do was tell the sheriff there was a problem in a few weeks and everything was sorted out._

_That night there was a feast to celebrate the agreement between Saladin and the sheriff. I had no fun as I had had to translate the sheriffs speech into arabic, only he kept messing up the pronounciation and accidentally insulting our guests, in the end to avoid a diplomatic inccident I read it myself. Well a summary of it, out of all the saracens only prince Mohammed and Saladin knew of our deal. They didn't like me because I'm English but they didn't dislike me anymore so it was a step in the right direction._

_Halfway through the meal Saladin leaned over the sheriff who was trying to engage in conversation with prince Mohammed which was amusing to watch the two of them trying to communicate._

_**"Are you married Gisbourne?" **he asked me._

_**"No," **I replied,**"I almost married the lady Marian over there but it didn't work out, I'm glad of that now I thought I loved her but I was wrong." **Then he asked me. _

_**"What about Saffiya?"** I almost choked on my wine._

_**"Saffiya is an outlaw, there's a price on her head, I couldn't marry her I'm supposed to kill or arrest her on sight." **This conversation with Saladin really made me think, I cared about Saffiya, she was a pretty girl with a good heart. But there was more than that she had a strength about her that drew me to her. I wasn't sure why, I'd never paid attention to her before she was captured._

**_"But it won't be this way forever, when the crusades are over, it will not be long before I destroy your king's armies, he will have to return to England and all the lords loyal to prince John will be punished, the outlaws will be rewarded, you too if you are on their side, then you could marry Saffiya. I saw the way you looked at her, and the way she looked at you earlier today, before my rude cousin interrupted."_**

_I'd never felt this way about a woman before, even Marian. But I barley knew Saffiya._

_What was this feeling?_

* * *

"It's done" Djaq said as they sat around the campfire "we have to trust Gisbourne not to go back on his word now".

"I'm not comfortable about entrusting plan which depends on England's safety to the man who killed my brother." Kate said.

"If Gisbourne will help us in the future it will make our lives alot easier" Robin argued, "maybe he can atone for his crimes."

Djaq blocked out the outlaws chatter, her father was dead, did he know how much she loved him? What had happened to Sakina? Maybe she should have married Raquib, at least her father would have known she cared, at least she'd know Sakina was safe.

But she would have never met her firend in this camp. She would never have met Guy.

Why did Guy suddenly matter so much? But she cared for him, like the rest of the gang only this had happened so quickly, a few months ago she had hated him now, she cared what happened to him. She wanted him to be safe.

A scary thought spread through her head. She hardly knew him but she trusted him, maybe more. He had made her feel safer than she felt in ages despite the fact she had seen him do terrible things.

What was this feeling?


	17. Djaq's grief and Gisbourne's guilt

**This chapter is sort of a filler.**

Djaq normally had no problem going to sleep but the next few days she walked around almost sleepwalking, she was grieving for her father who had been in his grave for almost a year now and she hadn't known. She still grieved the loss of her younger sister Sakina, where was she? Was she safe?

Question Djaq knew she would probably never get the answer to circled around her mind for days, the rest of the gan noticed something was wrong but said nothing hoping she'd get over whatever was troubling her. Finally after a week had passed Robin tried speaking to her by getting her alone when she was gathering herbs for medicines.

"What's wrong Djaq?" he asked, "you've not been yourself since that night you and Gisbourne spoke to Saladin. Are you homesick?"

"There's nothing left for me at home Robin. I told you Saladin and my father were friends, I found out from Saladin he's been dead almost a year."

Robin's face fell. "Oh Djaq I'm sorry" he said "I didn't know."

"It's alright, he would never have forgiven me for running off like I did and he died doing what he believed in he wouldn't have had it any other way. It's just the worse part is knowing he died without realising how much I loved him. And then there's Sakina."

"Sakina?" Robin asked confussed.

"My younger sister, she'll be fourteen now. I don't even know if she's still alive, or if she's safe or not." Djaq said, it felt a relief to get this off her chest even if there was nothing anyone could do.

"Djaq" Robin began sadly "I really wish there was something I could say to make this all better but I can't"

Djaq smiled reasurringly at her friend "I know Robin, It's just..." she wasn't sure how to put it into words in English "I feel helpless".

* * *

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_Then next week made a big impact on my future as I decided what I was going to do with my life. I chose the outlaws over the black knights. The sheriff spent his time bossing me around as normal I realised how much I hated this slimeball. I began to actually look at the people in Locksley and other villages. I realised how bad life really was for them. I found myself piting them, I found myself feeling guilty as I knew much of this suffering was my fault. If I helped Hood again maybe I could atone for my sins._

_The sheriff however seemed to have noticed my lack of enthusiasm, after all he wasn't completely stupid put he thought I was "still mooning over that leper Marian"._

_I had got over Marian months ago, I had slowly realised my affection was simply because she saw good in me. There was no love there, just grateful affection._

_However I did think of Saffiya, who like Marian seemed to see good in me. I remembered Saladin's words to me about marrying her. I never could. I was sure when King Richard returned and I knew he would return, I would be executed with Vasey. I wouldn't force my fate on any woman by tieing myself to her by marriage._

_However this didn't mean I didn't want to get to get to know her, she was unlike any woman I had ever known before, she intriegued me._

* * *

**From Robin Hood's journal.**

_Much, John and I were in the town. We had finished handing out the money and food we had got on the last raid and were listening around for information on where to get more food and money or see if the sheriff had any more plans, like the one involving Saladin which we had to stop. I saw Marian, she wore a hooded cloak but I knew it was her, her eyes met mine and she eckoned at me to follow._

_"Stay here" I said to Much and John before following her._

"Robin" she said as soon as we slipped into an alley way and were sure no one could hear us, "prince John is coming to Nottingham."

"Prince John?" I was surprised, first Saladin and some saracen prince whose name I couldn't remember now prince John. I knew he had been involved in their plan but Gisbourne and Djaq had dealt with that so why was he coming?

_"Why? When?" I asked Marian._

"Three days time, I don't know why no one does, only the sheriff knows his coming, he hasn't even told Guy. I over heard the sheriff talking to a messanger. It's supposed to be a secret."

"Either that or he doesn't trust Gisbourne any more. We need him to trust him our lives will be so much easier if Gisbourne helping us can become a regular thing."

"We need to warn him" Marian said "I can't I have to get back to my father before I'm missed."

"I'll find a way to warn him tonight." I reasurred her. I had just the person, Djaq, Guy clearly trusted her if they became friends it would strengthen the ties between him and the outlaws.

When I wanted them to become friends though I had no idea it would end with their marriage.

I headed back to Sherwood forest, I had warn Gisbourne, he could find out what was going on quicker than any of us then we could stop it far easier.


	18. Warnings and fury

Djaq sat in the camp mixing herbs together to make a pain relief salve for a farmer who had had his arm cut off by the sheriff's men for not paying his taxes. Robin hadn't made her feel much better so she was trying to take her mind off it.

Robin came running into camp followed by John and Much.

Startled by the sudden appearance of her comrades Djaq leapt up "Robin what's going on?"

"Prince John will arrive in three days time, only the sheriff knows, Marian over heard him speaking to a messanger. I want you to go and warn Gisbourne, the sheriff might suspect him if he hasn't told him and ask him to find out why prince John is here."

"Why me?" Djaq asked.

"Because he trusts you more than us." Robin said "and we need Gisourne on our side. Your more gentle than us Djaq and people trust you because of it."

Djaq couldn't deny she wanted to see Gisbourne again so she silently got up and mounted one of the horses he outlaws kept. She rode into Locksley.

**_From Gisbourne's journal._**

_I rode back into Locksley after a meeting with the sheriff. A shadow at my window caught my eye. Someone stood by the window wearing a hooded cloak._

_I swiftly dismounted my horse and drew my sword as I entered the manor._

_I saw the figure who had his back to me._

_"All right turn around" I growled._

_The cloaked figure did so shedding their cloak as they did so it was Saffiya. My heart leapt in surprise at least I told myself it was surprise._

_"Saffiya what are you doing here?" I asked her._

_"I'v been sent to warn you. Prince John is coming to Nottingham in three days only the sheriff knows but Marian found out for us. If he hasn't told you maybe he suspects you. You need to be careful Guy but at the same time we need information. I'm shouldn't ask you to risk yourself lik this but I have no alternative."_

_She genuinly seemed guilty and I had an idea, althought whether the idea came from the selfishness of wanting her around me or as a genuine idea._

_"Saffiya, if you started dressing and acting like a woman again, if you stayd hre with me you could get th information you could pretend to be my slave..."_

_At this point she slapped me hard across the face and I was pushed back. For someone so small she was incrdibley strong when she was angry._

_"How dare you" she yelled at me "I came here as a slave do you know what it's like, how humiliating and degrading it is." Then she shouted arabic obscnities at me and left._

_I was left standing there alone for a few hours. I understood why she was so angry I hadn't thought I just wanted to get to know the intreiguing woman better._

_I guess that backfired._

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Djaq was furious how dare he suggest such a humiliating and degrading thing. To think she'd actually thought he could be kind.

Deep down she knew he'd only been trying to be practical but it didn't stop her being angry.

She was furious which was why she didn't notice the bandits sneak up on her.


	19. Slavers

Djaq awoke with a pain in the back of her head.

She took a moment to adjust to her surroundings.

She was in a large room. The floor and walls were wooden, which made her aware she wasn't in a dungeon. About a dozen people some of them saracen some of them african also sat in the room tied up.

It was then Djaq realisd she may as well have been in a dungeon. Slave traders.

* * *

**From Robins journal. **

_We waited for hours for Djaq to return._

_"Gisbourne's done something to her I'm sure" Will kept saying, Kate eagerly agreed._

_"I'm not so sure. Come on Kate, Will we're going to see Gisbourne." I said. _

_I didn't think Gisbourne would be stupid enough to kidnap Djaq like that but someone else might, maybe she hadn't even reached Locksley. _

* * *

**From Gisbourne's journal**

_Robin, Will and Kate charged into the mansion. In surprise I drew my sword but_ _quickly sheathed it when I realised who it was._

_"Is Saffiya still angry with me?" I asked, "I may have been a bit stupid but this is going over the top a bit isn't it?" I asked._

_"So Djaq was here?" Will asked "what did you do to her?"_

_"I made a suggestion that if she pretended to be a slave she could help relay information without suspicion. She didn't tak it too well, she slapped me and stormed off angrily."_

_"Well she's dissapered." Kate snapped._

_I froze at thes words "what?" I asked._

_"We havn't seen her since she left to warn you." Will explained._

_"We have to find her" I said surprising the three outlaws with my eagrnss to help. But it might be my fault she was missing I felt guilty. If she was hurt I'd never forgive myself. "We have three days until prince John arrives, so I have three days to look for Saffiya"._

_"Good" Robin said "I'll warn the othr outlaws. Will search the villages, Kate the city. Gisbourne start in the forest near Locksley"_

_I would have resented being bossed around by Robin, if I wasn't so worried about Saffiya._

_I left the room before th outlaws and had mounted my horse by the time they left my room._

_I must have searched for hours, it rained heavily and a storm was brewing but I continued searching for Saffiya until it was too dark to see, disheartend I returned to Locksly manor soaking wet._

* * *

After a few hours Djaq saw two men come into the room. The other prisioners who had rfusd to talk to Djaq shrunk backwards in fear.

"Oi" Djaq yelled "where are you taking us."

Another man entrd the room. "Well you are getting sent to the sheriff, apparntly your one of Nottingham's most wanted."

The other two men looked at him in surprise "he's a woman, her name's Djaq, she's one of Hood's outlaws. The sheriff will pay handsomly for her."

"Brilliant" the youngest of the men cried out "we've captured an outlaw."

"Hang on" the eldest said "what if the outlaws try to rescue her?"

"They won't find us no one knows where she is." The third man answered.

As the men left Djaq saw the curious looks of the other prisoners.

She shuddered, slave traders were cruel and had no respect for their fellow humans. And they would give her to the sheriff.

Djaq found herself hoping Guy would come for her. She told herself it was because if she would be taken to the sheriff he would know before her outlaw friends. But there was more to it than that she felt drawn to the handsome but confusing knight.


	20. Torture chamber

Djaq was violently shaken awake the next morning and held down by two of the men while the third chained her wrists togther.

She didn't need to ask what was happening, they were taking her to the sheriff.

He would still be angry that she got away last time.

The other prisoners shrunk back in fear and Djaq made a silent promise to help them if she got free. If sh ever found out where she was.

When she was pulled out of the house into a cart she realised this was a town house. She couldn't believe slave traders opperated so close to the castle and the outlaws hadn't realised. Djaq felt sick.

She vowed she would make them pay.

* * *

**From Gisbourne's journal**

_I hadn't been able to sleep all night. I was worried about Saffiya, what if it was my fault she was missing, I would never forgive myself if something had happened to her. As soon as dawn broke I was prepared to search for her again._

_I was riding out to sarch the forest again when I was intercepted by a messanger from the sheriff._

_"Sir Guy the sheriff requests your prescence immdiatly. He says he has a surpris for you."_

_I was sure I wouldn't like this. But I went anyway, if I didn't it would be suspicious and I would in no position to help Saffiya._

_"Ah Gisbourne" the shriff said when I enterd his study. "Good god Gisbourne you look terrible, you look as if you've been caught in a storm and them stayed up all night. Anyway I have a surprise for you in the dungeons. That saracen girl who robbed you."_

_Saffiya, I was torn between horror she'd been caught and relief she was alive._

_I forced a smile onto my face but inside I felt sick. "good, who caught her? I'd like to thank him myself."_

_"I hav three slave traders working for me, to earn a bit of mony on the side, they caught her without realising who she was Hood would try to stop them if he knew they were right under his nose."_

_"In Nottingham?" I ask._

_"The butchers in Cook street" he tell me laughing. I laugh as well but secretly store the information away to tell Robin later._

* * *

Djaq was cold and although she would never show it she was frightened.

She had been thrown into a torture chamber on arrival and chained to the wall, but no one had come to torture her.

She heard footsteps, someone was coming, she promised herself no matter what happened she would remain silent.

The door opened it was Guy followed by the profssional torturer, Djaq was relieved Guy was there she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her "I'll deal with the filthy outlaw myself." Guy told the torturer. Who began to protest.

"This outlaw store a great amount of gold from me, th sheriff has given me permision to deal with her as I wish. Leave us."

The man did so.

As soon as he was gone Guy took the keys from his pocket and unchained her. Djaq was so relieved she flung her amrs around him. Instead of freezing as she would have expcted him to her wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry" he said, "I didn't mean to upset you earlier."

"I know you meant well, I over reacted" Djaq said.

Guy let go of her, Djaq was dissapointed, bing in his arms felt...right.

"We have to work out a way to get you out of here. I need you to scream like you being tortured."

Guy grabed a whip of the wall and cracked it on the floor. Everytime he did Djaq cried out as if he was whipping her.

After about half an hour. Guy stopped. He gave Djaq a key.

"This is the key to the cell I'm going to have you thrown in. I'll need it back so the sheriff doesn't get suspicious but this should aid your escape. I'm sorry I can't do more."

"No, you've done more than enough, I shouldn't have got caught, this is th life I lead, one mistake can mean the end and I accept that. Your a good man Guy under the cold exterior. Don't ever forget that."

Guy said nothing to this and opnd the door, Djaq crumpld into a cornr prtending to be injured.

"Throw her in the condemed cell, I'll speak to the sheriff about having her hanged. It's not as if he'll refuse." He smirked cruelly at the jailer outside.

So Djaq was thrown in the condemed cell. Her wrists were chafed from the manacles and she had a few bruises from being thrown around but she was reasonably unharmed.

Djaq waited until nightfall, now was her time to escape.


	21. First kiss

Djaq's escape was surprisingly easy. It probably had something to do with Gisbourne who Djaq assumed had mad sure there were few guards around.

She was good at creeping around and easily got out of the city.

She had been missing a whole day, her friends would be worried but first she had to give Guy his key back.

On foot the journey took about an hour and it was past midnight when Djaq arrived in Locksley.

She climbed the wall to his chambers and had planned to leave the key on the table by his bed and leave but when she climbed through the window she saw him sitting on his bed his head in his hands. Djaq blushed when she realised he had no shirt on.

"Guy?" she asked hesitantly aware she was intruding on a private moment.

* * *

**From Gisbourne's journal.**

_After prentending to torture Saffiya I returned to the sheriff's office._

_"Ahh Gisbourne finished with the girl already?" the sheriff asked unintrested._

_"I didn't want to kill her I thought it would be better to use her as bait to get Hood." I lied._

_The sheriff ordered Saffiya's_ _excution for three days time, he still said nothing about Prince John's impending arrival._

_I just hoped Saffiya would be able to escape. I did everything I could to put the odds in her favour even rearranging the guards positions._

_But even whn I rturned to Locksley her words still rang through my head "Your a good man Guy under the cold exterior. Don't ever forget that."_

_I had told myself I was doing this to get back at sheriff, could I be a good man? Like Robin Hood and his gang. Like Saffiya._

_But I had done so much wrong. If I helped the outlaws what would happen to me when the king returned? Would I be executed? I definitley would lose locksley it would be given back to Robin so what would happen to me?_

_I put my head in my hands "what have you got yourself into Guy?" I asked myself. The main reason I had got into this was the sheriff going to far with the idea of burning down Nottingham. But thre was another reason a reason most men do stupid or brave things, for a woman. Saffiya. There was something about her which drew me to her._

_I don't know how long I sat like that thinking but it must hav been several hours because I heard a noise and then a voice with a thick saracen accent "Guy?"_

_I looked up and saw Saffiya._

_I stood up and she looked away embarassd and I remembered I had no shirt on._

_"I er meant to return your key and leave, I didn't realise you were still awake."_

_"Never mind at least your safe." I said relievd she had got away._

_She handed me the key I felt a slight shock as her hands touched mine, they wern't ladies hands, they were rough from years of fighting but oddly gentle. I think she must have felt the shock to as she with drew her hand quickly._

_She looked up at me, "what's wrong Guy?" she asked me in that sweet undrstanding voice._

_"Nothing you can do anything about Saffiya, I'm just worried about the future." I told her._

_"As I said earlier your a good man Guy, and you have your friends."_

_I snorted at this "what friends? the only reason the outlaws put up with me is because I have information."_

_"What about me?" she asked. "I'm your friend, that is if you'll let me be your friend."_

_She brushed the hair out of my face and quickly pressed her lips to mine, her lips burnd against mine, but before I could respond she pulled away. I was dissapointed I wanted more. _

_"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have." She said._

_I tried to speak to her but she fled before I could._

_I would have run after her but I didn't want to frighten her, she was a woman and she was used to men since she had spent several years pretending to be one, but I didn't think she was used to romantic attention, she was used to being treated as a boy._

_I did care for her.I also knew I shouldn't. But then again she was the one who kissd me. I found her incredibly attractive as most men would If they could look past the short hair and boys clothes. That Will Scarlet had clearly noticed._

_I was jealous I'll admit it. But I knew he was probably better for her than me. Villians don't get the lady at the end of the story, but then I wasn't really the villain of the story that was Vasey and Saffiya was never the lady of the story as the storytellers tell our tale the lady is always Marian. I prefer it that way. Because in the end I got the lady._


	22. Inner turmoil

**Thank you to my reviwers. Please take the poll on my profile page to tell me which story from the ideas avaliable you'd like me to write next. Sorry for the shortness of this chapter.**

Djaq fled from the manor, she shouldn't have kissed him. Why did she do that? Maybe because there was more to him than met the eye, she cared about him, but she had got carried away. Guy loved Marian, she shouldn't have done that.

She might have ruined everything what if Guy didn't want to talk to her anymore she may have ruined the outlaws chance of getting information. How could she have been so stupid?

Djaq knew she should get back to camp, her friends needed to know she was safe, she could worry about Guy later.

"Hey guys i'm back" she called.

Immdiatly all the outlaws ran to see her, Kate even hugged her.

"Djaq what happened to you?" Robin asked.

"I got captured by slave traders, but when they realised who I was they gave me to the sheriff and Guy helped me escape." She explained.

"Well at least your safe" Will said relieved, Djaq felt a pang of guilt knowing how Will loved her, he had never made a romantic move on her, Djaq hoped he would hurry up and get it over with so she could tell him she didn't feel the same.

Djaq took a piece of bread gratefully from Much and ate it, then she fell exhausted into a troubled sleep.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_**From Gisbourne's journal**_

_I_ _couldn't get to sleep, I couldn't stop thinking about th feeling of her lips on mine, it had only been for a brief second but I could still remember how it felt, I kept replaying the scene in my head and what I should have done. I should have pulled her closer and kissed her back, she thought I didn't want her. Of course I did, she was beautiful, I had just been surprised, she wasn't a shy retiring woman but I still hadn't expected that from her._

_I would have to make it clear to her I wanted her, but should I? You son't get involved with women who arn't kitchen wenches or whores unless you plan to marry them in the future. I could easily imagine her as my wife but I didn't think it was possible for me to marry her.  
Apart from the difference in culture and class, though she wasn't a peasant she wasn't offically nobility either and worst of all she was an outlaw. Unless the sheriff failed and only thn if King Richard pardoned me of all my crimes could I marry her, by then I would be penniless as Robin would have his land back._

_I didn't want to drag her down with me. I had to pretend I didn't want her. It was her best chance, her life was dangerous enough, if she tied herself to me as well she had no chance of survival. _

* * *

While all this turmoil was going on a carriage drw up outside Nottingham castle. The sheriff greeted the man who climbed down from th carriage as "your highness" Prince John had arrived earlier than planned with a final plan to destroy the outlaws.


	23. Prince John's plot and Will's jelousy

**I own nothing.**

Thank you to all my reviewer you inspire me to keep writing this fic.

**Can some people PLEASE take the poll on my profile for what story to write next, I need more votes...I'll give you a cookie.  
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**Gisbourne's journal**

_I really wasn't in the mood for Vasey and his slimy personality that morning when he summoned me but of course I had no choice. Maybe the meeting would help distract me from Saffiya and the fact I could never have her._

_However whn I reached the sheriff's study I found myself face to face with Prince John._

_Prince John wasn't supposed to be here yet so I didn't have to act surprised to see him._

_"Your highness, what a surprise and an honour" I said._

_"Yes Gisbourne, tell me do you trust your men?" I was surprised by the Prince's question and confusd but I knew why he was here couldn't be good._

_"With my life sire" I replied, a complete lie but I could hardly say no._

_"Well thn I'm surprised your still alive," Vasey interrupted, "we have a traitor in our mist Gisbourne."_

_Traitor, how did they know? Did they suspect me?_

_"Now we know the one man it certainly isn't is you as you have as much to lose as we do if my brother returns, it will be the three of us on the block so we know we can trust you." Prince John said._

_"Yes your not a complete idiot after all" Say Vasey, the man who couldn't even make a speach infront of Saladin without almost causing a diplomatic incident, still at last I was abov suspicion._

_"So you want me to find the traitor my lords?" I asked._

_"Of course Gisbourne." Prince John said. "Whoever is sympathetic to th outlaws will be tortured for information and excuted."_

_This was bad. But my heart sank even further at the prince's next words "we don't want the outlaws to know about our final plan."_

_"Final plan sire?" I ask._

_"We better tell Gisbourne since he'll be doing most of the work" the sheriff says, as usual I had to do most of the work, which in this case was a good thing._

_Prince John told me of his plan "my brother is returning in a fortnight and that is very bad for me. He will land at portsmouth and I will be there to meet him as will you, I am promoting you to had of my guard as of now, and of course I will get my brother on his own away from the army and then the guard will kill him. A few soldiers will be excuted for trason and I'm the king."_

_"Simple but effective" I agree. I have to tell Robin. Then it hits me._

_"Sire, I have an idea of how I cna find out who the traitor is." I say._

_"How?" John and Vasey ask at the same time._

_"I'll deliberatly get myself captured and then try to listen in on their conversations, the the traitors bound to come and warn thm of your arrival once it's publicly announced."_

_"Yes, go ahead Gisbourne but make sure you escap by the end of the week" Prince John said._

_ He really is stupid. And vain. And arrogant. And...I'll stop there or I'll b here all day and he is the king now after all. Shame Richard had no children. Magna Carta limits his powr though now, best thing that ever happned for the nobles of England._

**Will Scarlett's memoirs**

The other outlaws were busy hunting and gathering herbs and firewood, after all we couldn't save England if they starved to death, I was left in camp as guard and was strengthning the shelter when Gisbourne turned up.

Now I really hate Gisbourne, not because of the obvious reasons but because of Djaq, I didn't like the way she and him seemed to connect. I loved Djaq I still do and even if I couldn't have her she deserved better than Gisbourne. Yet she chose him.

"Will, isn't it? I need to speak to everybody immediatly it's a matter of life and death." He said breathlessly.

"Who's" I said quite angrily.

"King Richard's" He said and I froze. Immediatly I made the distress call they all recognised. Within ten minutes the whole gang arrived.

"Will what's the matter?" Much called. "Did Gisbourn attack you?"

"No" I said reluctantly "he had vital information which you need to here now."

This was how Gisbourne told us about the plot and I have to bgrudingly admit saved England


	24. lovers?

**I own nothing.**

Thank you to all my reviewers you inspire me to keep writing this fic.

**Can some people PLEASE take the poll on my profile for what story to write next, I need more votes...I'll give you a cookie.  
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The outlaws were horrified by Prince John's plan but thankfully Gisbourne had given them warning, although several outlaws were unhappy about having to put up with Gisbourne for so long.

The outlaws had agreed to go down to Portsmouth before Prince John and his men arrived to see if they could get to the king first they would hide and Gisbourne would try and do what he could to warn the king. It was a sloppy plan but it was the best thye had.

"There's one other problem, the sheriff and Prince John, they know someone's betrayed them but they don't suspect because I've got just as much to lose as them if the king returns."

"Why are you helping us then?" Allan asked.

"Because obviously i'm an idiot." Gisbourne said.

"but surely because you have been helping us, the king will forgive you" Djaq said then speaking to the outlaws, genuinely worried about the black knights future, "surely there's something we can do to save him".

The outlaws shook their head and Djaq tried again geting more upset "no one is beyond redemption surely there is something we can do"

Gisbourne shook his head this time and sadly said "Saffiya you have a good heart but you can't save everyone, no matter how hard you try".

"But I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try, I can't save everyone but I can save some people so I have to try." Djaq replied.

The outlaws were silent by the saracen girls outburst.

They were all thinking the same thing, Djaq had gone mad. How could she care about Gisbourne?

**From Gisbourne's journal**

_Reluctant to leave me alone in camp while going on a raid Saffiya was left with me. _

_After what seemed like hours of awkward silence Saffiya spoke awkwardly, "I want to apologise about last night, I shouldn't have kissed you I'm sorry, lts just forget about it."_

"I'm not" I found myself saying.

"What?" she said surprised.

I was being completely stupid but I couldn't stop myself I walked over to her and sat beside her "I'm not sorry, I don't want to forget." I grabbed her and kissed her hard.

I finally came to myself, what was I doing? I had promised myself not to risk her like this. I was being selfish. It was my turn to apologize.

"I'm sorry" I said "I shouldn't be doing this, I can't risk you like this, if you get involved with me, it's dangrous. The king is probably going to have me executed and if we fail I'll b exposd as a traitor and Prince John will have me executed. I don't want you hurt."

"Isn't that my choice?" Saffiya asked. "I understand its dangerous but its what I want. We might not have long so we should make the most of it. I havn't known you for long but I find myself drawn to you, I'll never forgive myself if I pass up this opportunity._ " _

I would have argued but I didn't really want to. I was fast falling in love with her, perhaps too fast. So I kissed her again.

I was so caught up in her, her eyes, her skin, her hair, everything that I didn't here the other outlaws approaching. Thankfully Saffiya did and pulled away from me, "we er better not mention this" she said blushing.

"Yes I'm unpopular enough as it is." I said reluctantly moving away from her.

I was being stupid, I knew something was bound to go wrong but I had to take a chance, after all didn't everyone deserve a bit of happiness? Even murderers like me.


	25. Will's confession

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"Djaq" Djaq turned around to see Will Scarlet walking towards her.

"Hello Will" she said smiling at her old friend.

"Djaq, I need to talk to you" Will said sounding serious.

"Of course" Djaq said, silently worried, Will sounded so serious, did he know about Guy?

"I have to tell you something Djaq," Will said taking a deep breath.

"Yes Will?"" Djaq asked not liking the tone of his voice.

"I don't have much to offer you Djaq, but I offer everything I have to you, including my heart. I love you Djaq."

Djaq was shocked she had known how Will felt but she hadn't thought he would ever make such a decleration. Djaq couldn't say she loved him, she didn't but he was her friend and it pained her to hurt him.

"Oh Will...I'm sorry but I can't...I'm sorry" She fled it was cowardly and she knew it, but she couldn't stand to hurt him.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**From Robin Hood's journal**

I was worried about Richard's return. Our plan was so poorly put togther and relied so completely on luck, but there was nothing we could do but hope for the best.

I saw Djaq run back into camp looking flustered and upset. Will also came back into the camp a few minutes later looking devestated, he began talking to Allan who suddenly looked astonsihed and glanced over at Djaq.

I wandered over to Allan and Will, "what's going on?" I asked them.

Will stayed silent, Allan spoke "Will told Djaq he loves her. It didn't go very well" Allan said patting his best friend on the back.

I was surprised "but I always thought Djaq and Will were perfect for each other."

"Me too" Allan said.

I decided to talk to Djaq, as the leader of the outlaws it was my job to create peace among the men.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Djaq slipped back into camp and sat down beside Gisbourne who was sensibly keeping his distance from the outlaws in the wooden shelter Will and John had built.

"Are you alright?" Gisbourne asked as she put her head in her hands.

"No, It's Will...he confessed his love for me. I like Will, he's a good friend but I don't...I don't love him." Djaq sighed.

Guy smiled at Djaq and told her "Saffiya, It's not your fault that so many men fall in love with you. Don't blame yourself."

"But I knew how he felt I shouldn't have been so nice to him, he thought I felt the same. I should have made it clearer I don't."

"Saffiya, its not your fault, you have a good heart but you can't please everyone. For once in your life try to think of yourself, what do you want?"

Djaq kissed him. "This" she said when they finally broke of for air.

"I don't deserve you" Guy said but he was smiling.

"Remember what you said about doing what I want? Your not a bad man Guy and even if you were everyone deserves some happiness."

"Not everyone" Guy said shaking his head.

"Everyone" Djaq said detrmindley kissing him again.

Both forgetting their troubles as they got lost in the kiss the lovers didn't notice Robin approaching or the look on his face when he saw them. The lovers didn't even notice the interuption as they were left alone again.

**I feel sorry for Will, Will's great but it had to happen at some point he had to be rejected, otherwise, he'd marry Djaq and they'd be no point to this story.**


	26. Truth well some of it anyway

__

**I own nothing.**

Thank you to all my reviewers you inspire me to keep writing this fic.

Sorry for not updating in so long.

**_**

Djaq had never had a lover before, she'd never even kissd a man before having gone straight from the strict religious culture of Saladin's camp to masquerading as a boy. She had to admit she rather liked it.

She had heard the way Gisbourne behaved with the kitchen girls at Vasey's castle and had at first been wary of letting him into her heart but he had never tried to take advantage of her. Never even tried to get her to give him more than the kisses they stole when they were sure no one was watching.

And Djaq discovered something else, Guy made her happy. She loved him, she was sure she did, she was falling fast maybe too fast but it felt so good she didn't want to stop.

It was stupid and she knew it was, she had never had dreams of a handsome soldier sweeping her off her feet like so many of her friends in the holy land. This couldn't last and when it ended it would hurt. So why couldn't she stop?

Guy had left that morning to pretend to the sheriff he had escaped, Djaq couldn't stop thinking about him, he was in dangr because he helped them and if they won he would be in danger because he tried to kill the king.

Djaq truly couldn't think of a way to save him and it broke her heart.

"Djaq, what's wrong with you today?" Allan asked gently, "Is it Will? I know you love him, why are you like this?"

They were on patrol handing out money and keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, even though they were alone Djaq didn't feel it was a sensible place to talk about her love life.

"Allan is this really the time?" Djaq askd teying to change the subject.

"This has to be sdorted out Djaq, I waited for three days hoping you'd sort it out bettwen yourselves but you havn't, Will says you ran away."

"I did, I can't bare to hurt him, but I can't help it, I don't love him. I'm not playing games Allan I like Will but only as a friend."

"Who is he then?" Allan asked gravely.

"I don't understand" Djaq said.

"You've had a lovelorn look on your face for three days. Doesn't your love love you?"

"I know he loves me but it's not that simple Allan. It's very complicated and in the long run it will never work."

"What's his name?" Allan asked.

"Please Allan don't do this," Djaq begged.

"You can't love him that much if you're too ashamed to tell me his name." Allan snapped, "Will's a good man and as a former slave who dresses as a boy you could do a lot worse."

"Leave her alone Allan" Robin said dropping out of a tree seemingly coming from no where. "Djaq is being incredibly stupid but at the end of the day we can't stop her. I don't like him, but he clearly adores Djaq."

"How do you know?" Djaq askd Robin surprised.

"I saw you, three days ago with him. I wanted to kill him, he doesn't deserve you Djaq and you must know it can't last."

Realization dawned on Allan's face, "no not him, please Djaq anybody but him, he's a murderer."

"I know he's done terrible things, I can't excuse that but there's more to him than that, I know it's foolish I know it can't last but I can't help it. Please don't tell Will."

"Alright Djaq" Robin nodded, "we won't tell, will we Allan?" he said giving his friend a warning look.

"No" Allan said "but if he so much as harms a hair on your head, I will kill him."

"I can't disagree with that" Robin said, "Come on Djaq we have work to do."

So that was an end to it.

Sometimes these smelly, souless, impossible men were as unpredictable as their dangerous lives.

That night Djaq went to see Gisbourne, Robin sent her to "steal" more gold knowing full well Gisbourne would give it to her. He was on their side now he would have given the gold to any of them but Robin sent Djaq on purpose.

Djaq snuck into Guy's house with ease, she snuck into his chamber's where he sat writing.

"Letter's to the black knights informing them of the plan, in code of course." He said as soon as she came in.

He gave her a copy of the code and one of the letters.

"Robin and Allan know" she said straightaway.

Guy's face portrayed a range of emotions, horror, anger and then fear.

"What happened?" he asked.

"They don't like it but they won't stop me, you're too valuable as a spy for that, but they will both kill you if you hurt me."

"I wouldn't do that" Guy said pulling her into his lap and kissing her, "I love you" he confessed saying the words aloud for the first time.

"I love you too" she said back causing his smile to grow even wider.

As he kissed her neck he whispered two words into her skin "marry me".


	27. Lady Saffiya

__

**_I own nothing._**

**_Thank you to all my reviewers you inspire me to keep writing this fic._**

**_Sorry for not updating in so long._**

**I know this is a very short chapter the next will be longer I promise.**

_From Gisbourne's journal_

_"Marry me"_

_The words slipped out of my mouth before I really thought them through but I didn't regret it._

_I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Even if the rest of my life was only a few more weeks. I knew what I had to do._

_"Marry me tonight"._

"We're mad" she told me looking me straight in the eyee "we're completely mad, this is stupid it won't last the politics of this land ensures that."

My dissapointment must have showed on my face because Saffiya continued "but yes, yes I will marry you. I'll marry you tonight."

_I couldn't believed she's said yes._

"I know this probably won't last but if it does, I know I will never regret it" she said kissing me.

So we went to wake up the poor village curate who I later discovered thought I was drunk. But didn't protest he was afraid of me, everyone was then, except Saffiya.

_When he said there had to be witnesses I made him wake up his fellow priest. _

So Saffiya and I were married. In the middle of the night I gave her the ring that had belonged to my mother years before.

It was far from ideal, but it was her I wanted not the ceremony. There was no dowry but I didn't care.

Saffiya was my wife.

...

"Robin and Allan are going to kill you" Djaq said as they snuck back into her husband's (she still couldn't believe that) chambers.

"I can think of worst ways of dying" Guy said spinning Djaq around.

"Will the outlaws start wondering where you are?" he asked.

"We have a few hours yet" Djaq said.

So for the first time ever Djaq and Guy lay together as husband and wife.

Lady Saffiya of Gisbourne, Djaq liked the sound of that.

...

Meanwhile Prince John and the sheriff were organising the transport of the guards to Portsmouth.

"Where the hell's Gisbourne?" asked prince John suddenly.

"Probably lying drunk somewhere with one of his whores." The sheriff said. "I'll punish him after Richard is dead, we need him to do the work if we are to st off for portsmouth the day after tomorrow."

Prince John smirked "soon Richard will be dead and the crown will be mine."


	28. All or nothing

**_I own nothing._**

**_Thank you to all my reviewers you inspire me to keep writing this fic._**

Sakina al Faraq was pretty like her older sister there was definant family resemblance, both sisters had the same nose and jawline as their mother.

Sakina was fourteen on the cusp of womanhood with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. She was also all alone in the world.

Her brother, mother and father dead and her sister if not dead than gone forever.

Sakina had been allowed to stay in the family tent and was often fed by other families who had known her father. Sakina helped make clothes with the other women who merely tolerated her.

She was pretty invisible to the people of the camp. No one mistrated her but no one was kind to her either. When her mother died, Saffiya had cared for her and when she dissapered her father consumed by greif after the loss of both his wife and eldest daughter seemed to forget he had another child.

It still haunted Sakina today, why had Saffiya abandoned her, had she stopped caring?

It had become common knowledge the English king Richard was returning to his own land the Saracen's hadn't expected a final raid by a few of the English knights while Saladin was away.

Defenceless and all alone Sakina ran as the camp burned around her.

She felt someone grab her from behind and a knife was pointed at her throat.

She didn't understand much of what they were saying her English wasn't very good.

"This one's pretty and young, we'll get a good price." One englishman said to the other.

Sakina strugelled but could do nothing as she was flung into a cage with other women from the camp.

She didn't know it at the time but this was the same journey her older sister had taken to England just over a year ago when she was caught by soldiers.

Like her sister had a yar before Sakina bowed her head and prayed.  
...

Meanwhile across the sea on a different continent it was the middle of the night the other al Faraq sister was getting dressed.

"I have to go before they realise how long i've been," Djaq said dressing hurridley.

She looked at the gold band on her finger, "how do I explain this?" she said to herself before having an idea. She slipped it onto the leather cord with her outlaw tags on and hit it under her shirt.

She picked up the letter in code and some gold.

Guy suddenly seemed to remember something "tell the outlaws to hurry, the sheriff is setting off for Portsmouth tomorrow, to beat him you have to hurry. I'll play along with the sheriff until I get a chance to warn the king or stop the sheriff and prince john."

"What? Why didn't you warn me earlier?" Djaq said frustrated.

Guy smirked "I was more than a little bit distracted. Lady Saffiya Gisbourne, I think it suits you."

Djaq tried to glare at him but couldn't help smirking "I suggest we don't tell my friends yet."

"I know I would like to kep my head where it is at least for the time being."

Djaq shuddered, perfectly aware that newly married she would probably be a widow within the week. She intended to do everything possible to save her new husband but new her chances of sucess were slim.

She kissed her new husband, pulled her hood over her head and fled.

She'd been gone six hours, too long to avoid suspicion but they would never imagine she'd gone and got married.

**From Robin's journal**

I now know why Djaq took so long with Guy that night, but at the time the thought never crossed my mind. She came running into camp yelling.

"The sheriff is going to Portsmouth tomorrow to catch him up we have to go now."

Immediatly the six of us were on our feet, packing rapidly.

"We have to go now to have a chance of warning the king." Djaq said.

So we gathered our belongings, saddled the horses and started off, we wre setting off before the sheriff but he would be able to travel the main roads we had to go now to have a chance of catching him.

This was what we had waited for for three yars, the return of the king.

It was all or nothing, save Richard or doom England.


	29. Allan's disbelief

**Sorry I havn't updated for ages, 4 years, where did the time go, I stopped to revise for GCSE mock's and now I'm in university! I came across this on my computer and got re-inspired. **

The outlaws rode silently along on horseback, there were so many soldiers around they had to be silent, they needed to stay away from the Sherriff and his men.

"Where were you last night?" Allan hissed besides Djaq. They were at the rear of the group, Will was up front with Robin trying to keep away from Djaq.

"The codes in those letters, Gisbourne taught me how to deceiver them, that codebreaker sheet we wrote that together. It took longer than I thought to understand it" she lied.

"I'm not sure I believe you, I thought it was forbidden for Saracens to you know…outside marriage."

Djaq couldn't help but blush and look down. If only Allan knew.

"I knew he was good with the ladies but bloody hell, Djaq have you lost your mind?"  
"It's alright Allan" she whispered, "trust me its fine".

"But…Djaq your my friend and I don't normally think of you as a woman but nonetheless that is what you are and you've ruined yourself for that murderer."  
"Can you keep a secret?" Djaq whispered to her friend.

Allan nodded.  
She showed him the ring around her neck before hiding it quickly. "I've married that murderer."

Allan nearly fell off his horse. "Djaq, you know this won't end well."

"I don't imagine we'll have a long marriage or even a happy one, we can never be together properly and the chance of him being executed are high and even if he lives he'll be left penniless and I don't have anything but…"  
"Djaq you can't imagine your friends would leave you to starve" Allan said.  
"No but if I chose to bind myself to him I must share his fate I know this."

"Then why?"

"I don't have an answer Allan, I see a good man behind that cruelty but I am under no delusions about him, he's ruthless and cruel and his he is better than the Sheriff it is not by much. But I love him, I don't know why. Don't tell the others please, not yet."  
"I won't but if it gets to…if he gets sentenced to death will you try to plead for his life as his wife?"  
"Yes." Djaq said simply.  
"I don't believe this" Allan shook his head.


End file.
